Pay our members their ‘allawa’ now – NAHSAG to gov’t

Members of the National Health Students’ Association of Ghana (NAHSAG) have expressed their displeasure at the delay in paying Nursing Trainee Allowances and National Service (Ministry of Health sponsored) allowances by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and have, thus, called on the ministry and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the allowances are paid.

According to the leadership of NAHSAG, government has not paid its allowances for the months of September, October and November 2019 and allowances for Rotation Nurses have also not been paid over six months.

In a statement signed by its President, Mr Moses N. Bondong, NAHSAG said: “This issue has become increasingly alarming and we have received series of complains from our members who form part of these three groups of people and have duly served as expected in various health facilities and as such meet the needed requirements to receive their allowances.”

It continued that: “The delayed nursing trainee allowances has contributed to a lot of trainees’ inability to settle debt owed to their various institutions such as school fees even though they are left with just a couple of weeks to end the semester” as some parents “of trainees depend on these allowances to pay fees of their wards and, hence, sometimes do not believe their wards when they are told allowances have not been paid. Other students whose fees have been paid are also left to their own fate since some parents believe government is supporting them with allowances.”

The statement further said the story of Ministry of Health sponsored National service personnel is “no different as they have not received payments since September 2019. Newly inducted graduates have had to go to work on foot and on empty stomachs. Some have borrowed monies from family, friends and even banks to cater for their upkeep with the hope of paying back but end up going through all manner of stress due to inability to settle their debts. The plight of Rotation Nurses is no different and even goes beyond six months arrears.”

NAHSAG said the “situation is very disheartening and needs urgent and immediate attention.”

The group has, therefore, entreated the “Ministry of Health (MoH) and all other relevant stakeholders involved in the payment of these allowances to kindly facilitate payments as students and fresh graduates are going through trying times. These interventions were introduced and reintroduced to alleviate the stress and struggles they are currently going through.”